The Ladder
Every ballot counted · rankings move with every vote
AllPresidentsStatesmenAthletesEntertainersMusiciansScientistsAstronautsMilitaryOutlawsMogulsWritersActivistsExplorersFolk HeroesIcons
- 2
Miles DavisMusicians6–01587 - 6
Martin Luther King Jr.Activists5–01573 - 9
Ruth Bader GinsburgStatesmen5–01571 - 11
Alex TrebekIcons4–01560 - 13
J.D. SalingerWriters4–01560 - 14
Stanley KubrickEntertainers4–01560 - 15
Walt DisneyEntertainers4–01560 - 18
Yvon ChouinardMoguls5–11559 - 19
Bill RussellAthletes4–01559 - 20
Bill ClintonPresidents4–01559 - 21
Martin ScorseseEntertainers4–01559 - 24
Janis JoplinMusicians4–01559 - 25
Rosa ParksActivists4–01559 - 28
Joe BidenPresidents4–01558 - 30
Jimmy CarterPresidents4–01558 - 31
Jackie RobinsonAthletes4–01558 - 32
George CarlinEntertainers4–01558 - 35
Bruce SpringsteenMusicians5–11557 - 37
Hank AaronAthletes5–11553 - 43
Jim HensonEntertainers3–01548 - 45
Fred RogersIcons3–01547 - 47
Johnny CashMusicians3–01547 - 49
Katharine HepburnEntertainers3–01547 - 52
Nolan RyanAthletes3–01547 - 54
Lou GehrigAthletes3–01546 - 56
Evel KnievelFolk Heroes3–01546 - 57
Marvin GayeMusicians3–01546 - 58
Phil JacksonAthletes3–01546 - 60
Audie MurphyMilitary3–01546 - 62
Harvey MilkActivists3–01546 - 63
Brian WilsonMusicians3–01546 - 64
Neil ArmstrongAstronauts3–01546 - 68
Kareem Abdul-JabbarAthletes3–01545 - 72
Arnold PalmerAthletes3–01545 - 77
Jack NicholsonEntertainers3–01545 - 78
Aretha FranklinMusicians3–01545 - 79
Wernher von BraunScientists3–01544 - 80
Judge JudyIcons3–01544 - 85
Jim BrownAthletes3–01544 - 89
Kathy BatesEntertainers3–01544 - 90
Roberto ClementeAthletes3–01544 - 91
Bart StarrAthletes4–11544 - 92
Jesse OwensAthletes4–11543 - 94
Rita HayworthEntertainers3–01543 - 97
Frank SinatraMusicians4–11542 - 98
Etta JamesMusicians5–21541 - 99
Stevie NicksMusicians5–21539 - 103
Leonard NimoyEntertainers2–01533 - 104
Frank AbagnaleOutlaws2–01533 - 108
Coach KAthletes2–01533 - 114
Bernie SandersStatesmen2–01532 - 115
Bobby FischerAthletes2–01532 - 117
Carlos SantanaMusicians2–01532 - 118
Sammy Davis Jr.Entertainers2–01532 - 122
Ralph EllisonWriters2–01532 - 126
Philip K. DickWriters3–11532 - 129
Dolly PartonMusicians3–11532 - 137
James DeanEntertainers2–01531 - 139
Frank RobinsonAthletes2–01531 - 148
Julia ChildIcons2–01531 - 150
Billie HolidayMusicians2–01531 - 154
George ForemanAthletes2–01531 - 156
Lyndon B. JohnsonPresidents2–01531 - 157
Gregg PopovichAthletes2–01531 - 159
John F. KennedyPresidents2–01531 - 160
Isaac HayesMusicians2–01531 - 161
Dan GableAthletes2–01531 - 164
Vince LombardiAthletes2–01530 - 165
Roger StaubachAthletes2–01530 - 170
David LettermanEntertainers3–11530 - 172
John SteinbeckWriters2–01530 - 175
Betty WhiteEntertainers2–01530 - 178
Paul SimonMusicians3–11530 - 179
John von NeumannScientists2–01530 - 180
Art GarfunkelMusicians4–21530 - 181
Ted DansonEntertainers4–21530 - 182
Ernie BanksAthletes3–11529 - 183
Michael CrichtonWriters3–11529 - 184
Jimi HendrixMusicians2–01529 - 185
Willie MaysAthletes2–01529 - 186
Frank ZappaMusicians2–01529 - 187
Robert RedfordEntertainers3–11529 - 189
George SteinbrennerMoguls3–11529 - 193
Meyer LanskyOutlaws2–01529 - 199
Ella FitzgeraldMusicians3–11528 - 202
Alan ShepardAstronauts2–01528 - 207
Muddy WatersMusicians3–11528 - 209
Grace KellyEntertainers3–11527 - 214
Stephen KingWriters3–11526 - 218
John GlennAstronauts4–31524 - 220
Jack NicklausAthletes3–21520 - 222
Mickey MantleAthletes2–11519 - 223
Burt ReynoldsEntertainers3–21519 - 224
Morgan FreemanEntertainers2–11519 - 226
John WatersIcons3–21519 - 229
Stan LeeIcons1–01518 - 231
Muhammad AliAthletes1–01518 - 232
Dick ClarkIcons2–11518 - 235
Wilt ChamberlainAthletes3–21518 - 237
Mike DitkaAthletes1–01518 - 240
Reggie JacksonAthletes1–01517 - 241
Danny DeVitoEntertainers1–01517 - 248
Henry WinklerEntertainers1–01517 - 250
Elgin BaylorAthletes2–11517 - 252
Yogi BerraAthletes1–01517 - 254
Michael CollinsAstronauts1–01517 - 256
Malcolm XActivists1–01517 - 257
Dennis RitchieScientists1–01517 - 259
Judy GarlandEntertainers1–01517 - 262
Louis ArmstrongMusicians1–01517 - 264
Ray BradburyWriters1–01517 - 266
Alan AldaEntertainers1–01517 - 267
Alice WalkerWriters1–01517 - 268
Doris MillerMilitary1–01517 - 269
Robert De NiroEntertainers1–01517 - 271
Chevy ChaseEntertainers2–11517 - 273
James BrownMusicians2–11517 - 279
Loretta LynnMusicians1–01516 - 281
Fannie Lou HamerActivists1–01516 - 283
B.B. KingMusicians2–11516 - 286
Charles LindberghExplorers2–11516 - 288
Francis Ford CoppolaEntertainers2–11516 - 289
Gloria SteinemActivists1–01516 - 292
Paul NewmanEntertainers1–01516 - 293
Marilyn MonroeEntertainers1–01516 - 295
Octavia ButlerWriters1–01516 - 296
Sandra Day O'ConnorStatesmen1–01516 - 298
Martha StewartMoguls1–01516 - 305
Bette MidlerMusicians1–01516 - 306
Gene KellyEntertainers1–01516 - 307
Pete MaravichAthletes1–01516 - 312
Wally SchirraAstronauts1–01516 - 313
Kurt VonnegutWriters1–01516 - 314
James Earl JonesEntertainers2–11516 - 315
Quincy JonesMusicians1–01516 - 316
Gary CooperEntertainers1–01516 - 317
Pat SajakIcons1–01516 - 318
Stan MusialAthletes2–11516 - 319
Samuel L. JacksonEntertainers1–01516 - 320
Thelonious MonkMusicians2–11516 - 330
Charles BukowskiWriters1–01515 - 333
Rodney DangerfieldEntertainers2–11515 - 334
John DenverMusicians2–11515 - 337
Dick ButkusAthletes1–01515 - 338
Madeleine AlbrightStatesmen1–01515 - 339
Christopher WalkenEntertainers2–11515 - 341
Lionel RichieMusicians1–01515 - 345
John KerryStatesmen1–01515 - 346
Danny GloverEntertainers1–01515 - 347
Maya AngelouWriters1–01515 - 348
Jonas SalkScientists1–01515 - 349
John BelushiEntertainers1–01515 - 350
Patsy ClineMusicians1–01515 - 351
Otis ReddingMusicians1–01515 - 354
Mitt RomneyStatesmen2–11515 - 355
George W. BushPresidents2–11515 - 356
Carl SaganScientists1–01515 - 359
Billy JoelMusicians1–01515 - 360
John McCainStatesmen4–31515 - 362
Ed SullivanIcons1–01515 - 366
Jerry WestAthletes2–11515 - 368
Steve MartinEntertainers1–01515 - 371
Chien-Shiung WuScientists2–11515 - 374
Dizzy GillespieMusicians2–11515 - 376
John GottiOutlaws2–11515 - 378
Al PacinoEntertainers2–11514 - 383
Richard NixonPresidents2–11514 - 384
Margaret HamiltonScientists3–21514 - 385
Count BasieMusicians2–11514 - 387
Gene CernanAstronauts2–11514 - 388
William F. Buckley Jr.Writers2–11514 - 389
Barbra StreisandMusicians3–21514 - 393
John WoodenAthletes3–21514 - 394
Dennis HopperEntertainers2–11514 - 398
Chuck BerryMusicians2–11514 - 399
Buzz AldrinAstronauts2–11514 - 402
Thurgood MarshallStatesmen2–11513 - 405
Glenn CloseEntertainers2–11513 - 407
Lou ReedMusicians3–21513 - 411
Joe LouisAthletes4–31513 - 412
Andy WarholIcons3–21513 - 414
Chuck YeagerMilitary2–11512 - 415
Susan SarandonEntertainers2–11512 - 417
Larry DavidEntertainers2–11512 - 419
Pat RileyAthletes2–11510 - 421
Betty FriedanActivists3–21510 - 422
Barbara WaltersIcons5–41505 - 423
CherMusicians2–21504 - 426
Phil KnightMoguls2–21503 - 427
Bob DylanMusicians1–11503 - 431
Steve FossettExplorers1–11503 - 433
Joseph HellerWriters2–21502 - 438
Cary GrantEntertainers2–21502 - 448
Charles SchulzIcons1–11502 - 449
Katherine JohnsonScientists1–11501 - 451
Gene WilderEntertainers1–11501 - 454
Walter MatthauEntertainers1–11501 - 459
Clint EastwoodEntertainers1–11501 - 460
Philo FarnsworthScientists2–21501 - 465
Terry BradshawAthletes1–11501 - 467
June Carter CashMusicians3–31501 - 469
Vint CerfScientists1–11501 - 471
Dean MartinEntertainers1–11501 - 475
John WayneEntertainers1–11501 - 476
Elvis PresleyMusicians1–11501 - 478
Bernie MadoffOutlaws1–11501 - 480
Ray KrocMoguls1–11501 - 481
Angela DavisActivists1–11501 - 482
Sylvester StalloneEntertainers1–11501 - 487
Clark GableEntertainers1–11501 - 491
Redd FoxxEntertainers1–11501 - 492
Tom WolfeWriters2–21501 - 493
Orson WellesEntertainers1–11500 - 495
Walter CronkiteIcons3–31500 - 499
Meryl StreepEntertainers1–11500 - 502
Dorothy VaughanScientists1–11500 - 503
Warren BuffettMoguls0–01500 - 504
Jeff BridgesEntertainers0–01500 - 505
Tom SelleckEntertainers0–01500 - 507
Ted WilliamsAthletes0–01500 - 509
Sandy KoufaxAthletes0–01500 - 510
Satchel PaigeAthletes0–01500 - 511
Jim MorrisonMusicians1–11500 - 512
Rocky MarcianoAthletes0–01500 - 521
Desmond DossMilitary0–01500 - 522
Lucille BallEntertainers0–01500 - 527
Thomas PynchonWriters1–11500 - 528
Bruce LeeEntertainers0–01500 - 529
Andy GriffithEntertainers0–01500 - 531
Bob GibsonAthletes1–11500 - 534
Harrison FordEntertainers1–11500 - 536
Enrico FermiScientists1–11500 - 538
Medgar EversActivists1–11500 - 539
Marlon BrandoEntertainers1–11500 - 544
Dave ThomasMoguls2–21499 - 545
Robert NoyceScientists2–21499 - 548
Woody GuthrieMusicians1–11499 - 550
Grace HopperScientists1–11499 - 551
Ina GartenIcons1–11499 - 552
Sam CookeMusicians1–11499 - 553
Henry FondaEntertainers1–11499 - 554
Dustin HoffmanEntertainers2–21499 - 555
Billie Jean KingAthletes1–11499 - 557
Babe Didrikson ZahariasAthletes1–11499 - 560
Jerry SpringerIcons1–11499 - 564
Sylvia PlathWriters1–11499 - 568
Al GoreStatesmen1–11499 - 569
Jim LovellAstronauts1–11499 - 571
Larry KingIcons1–11499 - 572
Jerry JonesMoguls1–11499 - 573
Jerry Lee LewisMusicians1–11499 - 575
James BaldwinWriters2–21499 - 576
Joe NamathAthletes2–21499 - 578
Joan RiversEntertainers1–11499 - 586
Chuck NorrisEntertainers2–21499 - 588
Ronald ReaganPresidents1–11499 - 591
Sugar Ray RobinsonAthletes1–11499 - 593
George LucasEntertainers1–11499 - 596
Diane KeatonEntertainers2–21498 - 597
Jane FondaIcons1–11498 - 600
Pretty Boy FloydOutlaws1–11498 - 601
Steven TylerMusicians2–21498 - 602
Little RichardMusicians1–11498 - 609
Elizabeth TaylorEntertainers2–21497 - 612
John MaddenAthletes1–11497 - 617
Ralph NaderActivists2–21496 - 622
Gilda RadnerEntertainers2–21494 - 624
George TakeiEntertainers2–31491 - 632
Norman BorlaugScientists1–21488 - 634
Anthony FauciScientists2–31487 - 637
Christa McAuliffeAstronauts2–31487 - 638
Mary Tyler MooreEntertainers1–21487 - 639
Arnold SchwarzeneggerEntertainers1–21487 - 642
Norman MailerWriters1–21487 - 644
Noam ChomskyWriters1–21487 - 645
Dolores HuertaActivists1–21487 - 648
Truman CapoteWriters1–21486 - 650
Gus GrissomAstronauts1–21486 - 652
Cormac McCarthyWriters1–21486 - 653
Pam GrierEntertainers1–21486 - 655
Waylon JenningsMusicians1–21486 - 656
Dick Van DykeEntertainers1–21486 - 658
Charlton HestonEntertainers1–21486 - 663
Pete SeegerMusicians2–31486 - 664
Fred HaiseAstronauts1–21486 - 668
Merle HaggardMusicians1–21485 - 669
Danny TrejoEntertainers1–21485 - 671
Bette DavisEntertainers0–11485 - 673
Deke SlaytonAstronauts0–11485 - 674
Norman SchwarzkopfMilitary0–11485 - 676
Rupert MurdochMoguls0–11485 - 679
Hunter S. ThompsonWriters1–21485 - 680
Bob HopeEntertainers0–11485 - 686
Goldie HawnEntertainers1–21485 - 687
Arthur MillerWriters0–11485 - 688
Buddy HollyMusicians1–21485 - 689
Gladys KnightMusicians1–21485 - 690
Hyman G. RickoverMilitary0–11485 - 693
John ColtraneMusicians0–11485 - 695
Larry EllisonMoguls0–11485 - 697
Bob NewhartEntertainers0–11485 - 702
Nora EphronWriters0–11485 - 703
Hank WilliamsMusicians0–11485 - 706
Richard PryorEntertainers0–11485 - 712
John WilliamsMusicians0–11485 - 713
Josh GibsonAthletes0–11485 - 714
Ric FlairAthletes1–21485 - 716
Al GreenMusicians0–11485 - 720
Johnny UnitasAthletes1–21484 - 721
Toni MorrisonWriters1–21484 - 724
Diana RossMusicians0–11484 - 727
Charles DrewScientists0–11484 - 730
Bing CrosbyMusicians0–11484 - 733
Charlie ParkerMusicians0–11484 - 734
Ben HoganAthletes0–11484 - 738
Steven SpielbergEntertainers0–11484 - 744
Carol BurnettEntertainers0–11484 - 752
Howard HughesMoguls0–11484 - 758
Adam WestEntertainers0–11484 - 759
Colin PowellStatesmen0–11484 - 760
Temple GrandinScientists0–11484 - 761
Henry KissingerStatesmen0–11484 - 765
Ted TurnerMoguls0–11484 - 769
Joan BaezMusicians0–11484 - 772
Edward James OlmosEntertainers0–11484 - 773
Joe FrazierAthletes0–11484 - 774
Michael DouglasEntertainers1–21483 - 777
Rachel CarsonScientists0–11483 - 779
Kirk DouglasEntertainers2–31483 - 782
Nancy PelosiStatesmen0–11483 - 783
Jesse JacksonActivists0–11483 - 784
Barry WhiteMusicians0–11483 - 785
Dan RatherIcons0–11483 - 790
Fred HamptonActivists1–21483 - 791
Ray CharlesMusicians0–11483 - 794
Gene HackmanEntertainers2–31483 - 795
James StewartEntertainers1–21483 - 798
Michael BloombergMoguls0–11483 - 800
Harry BelafonteEntertainers0–11483 - 802
Edward R. MurrowIcons1–21483 - 804
Marsha P. JohnsonActivists0–11483 - 806
Sidney PoitierEntertainers2–31482 - 807
Whitey BulgerOutlaws1–21482 - 808
Regis PhilbinIcons0–11482 - 809
Tom ClancyWriters2–31482 - 811
Rick JamesMusicians1–21482 - 812
Mel BrooksEntertainers1–21482 - 815
Hugh HefnerMoguls1–21481 - 818
Joan DidionWriters1–21481 - 820
Pete RoseAthletes1–21481 - 821
Jack KerouacWriters1–21481 - 822
Gregory PeckEntertainers1–21481 - 831
Sylvia EarleScientists1–31474 - 833
Bobby JonesAthletes1–31474 - 840
Smokey RobinsonMusicians2–41472 - 842
Jack LemmonEntertainers0–21472 - 844
Leonard BernsteinMusicians1–31471 - 845
Bayard RustinActivists0–21471 - 847
Shel SilversteinWriters1–31471 - 849
Johnny CarsonEntertainers1–31471 - 850
Curtis LeMayMilitary0–21471 - 853
Ira HayesMilitary0–21471 - 856
Tom LandryAthletes1–31471 - 858
Joe DiMaggioAthletes1–31470 - 862
Nina SimoneMusicians1–31470 - 864
Kenny RogersMusicians1–31470 - 865
Andy KaufmanEntertainers0–21470 - 866
Cheech MarinEntertainers2–41470 - 867
Cesar ChavezActivists0–21470 - 871
Harper LeeWriters0–21470 - 872
Sarah VaughanMusicians0–21470 - 873
Vince McMahonMoguls0–21470 - 874
George H. W. BushPresidents0–21470 - 876
Don ShulaAthletes0–21469 - 880
Donna SummerMusicians0–21469 - 882
Tennessee WilliamsWriters0–21469 - 884
Claude ShannonScientists0–21469 - 886
Jackson PollockIcons0–21469 - 887
Ava GardnerEntertainers0–21469 - 889
Gale SayersAthletes0–21469 - 891
Linda RonstadtMusicians0–21469 - 893
Mean Joe GreeneAthletes0–21469 - 897
J. Robert OppenheimerScientists1–31469 - 901
Bear BryantAthletes0–21469 - 902
Gerald FordPresidents2–41469 - 903
Sigourney WeaverEntertainers1–31469 - 904
Donald TrumpPresidents0–21469 - 906
Sam SneadAthletes0–21469 - 907
Gene KranzAstronauts0–21469 - 911
Hillary ClintonStatesmen0–21469 - 919
Willie NelsonMusicians0–21469 - 920
Lee IacoccaMoguls0–21469 - 923
Sam ElliottEntertainers0–21468 - 924
Carl WeathersEntertainers0–21468 - 927
Debbie HarryMusicians0–21468 - 933
Langston HughesWriters0–21468 - 934
Patti LaBelleMusicians0–21468 - 936
Ansel AdamsIcons1–31468 - 937
Richard WrightWriters0–21468 - 938
E. O. WilsonScientists1–31468 - 942
Richard FeynmanScientists1–31468 - 943
Sam WaltonMoguls0–21467 - 944
Dr. SeussWriters0–21467 - 945
Barbara McClintockScientists0–21467 - 949
Pete ConradAstronauts0–21467 - 950
Aaron CoplandMusicians1–31467 - 951
Bill WalshAthletes0–21467 - 955
Isaac AsimovWriters0–21466 - 957
Jerry LewisEntertainers2–51464 - 960
Linus PaulingScientists1–41459 - 962
Peter FalkEntertainers1–41459 - 963
Shirley TempleEntertainers1–41458 - 964
Ross PerotStatesmen0–31458 - 965
Sally FieldEntertainers1–41458 - 968
Bob RossIcons1–41457 - 969
Bob BarkerIcons0–31457 - 972
John DillingerOutlaws1–41456 - 977
Curtis MayfieldMusicians0–31456 - 978
Mahalia JacksonMusicians1–41455 - 979
Nat King ColeMusicians1–41455 - 981
Ginger RogersEntertainers0–31455 - 984
Gordon MooreScientists0–31455 - 985
Tina TurnerMusicians0–31455 - 988
Bob DoleStatesmen1–41455 - 989
John DeLoreanMoguls0–31454 - 991
Virginia ApgarScientists0–31454 - 992
Jack WelchMoguls0–31454 - 994
Baby Face NelsonOutlaws0–31454 - 995
Cicely TysonEntertainers0–31454 - 998
Michio KakuScientists0–31454 - 1008
Benny GoodmanMusicians0–31453 - 1011
Billy GrahamActivists0–31453 - 1018
Barry GoldwaterStatesmen1–51443 - 1019
Andre the GiantAthletes1–51443 - 1021
Don RicklesEntertainers0–41442 - 1023
Dick CheneyStatesmen0–41441 - 1024
Spencer TracyEntertainers0–41441 - 1025
Bugsy SiegelOutlaws0–41440 - 1026
Lauren BacallEntertainers0–41440 - 1028
Charlie MungerMoguls0–41440 - 1029
Annie LeibovitzIcons0–41440 - 1030
Allen GinsbergWriters0–41440 - 1033
Ursula K. Le GuinWriters0–41437 - 1036
Glenn MillerMusicians1–61433 - 1037
Carole KingMusicians1–61429 - 1038
Antonin ScaliaStatesmen0–51429 - 1040
Angela LansburyEntertainers0–51428 - 1041
Hedy LamarrScientists0–51428 - 1043
Vera RubinScientists0–51426 - 1045
Gore VidalWriters0–51425